Method and apparatus for making elastic bands



Feb. 13, 1940. A. N. sPANEL. I

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING ELASTIC BANDS Fi led. March 20, 19:57

rubber thereon.

Patented Feb. 13, 1940 f UNITED f- 2489,915 v METHOD AND APPARATUS .EoRQM KING ELASTIC BANDS; i

nbrahai infispanet n i tea in. Y Application March 20, 193

,lj i iali o. 152,156

9 Claims. (01.1 18941 Thisinvention relates to endless rubber bands made from latex or'the like as well as to the apparatus for and to the method ofproducing the same. t

A feature of the invention relates 'to a novel form on which one or more endless elasticfbands may be made by depositing rubber thereon, 'integral reinforced edges being generated'on the bands during the depositing operation. f

A further feature of the invention relates to a novel method of producing endless elastic bands having integrally reinforced edges. 3

In thedrawing,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an endlesselastic band of the present invention madef by the method and on the novel forms herein disclosed.

Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5 are vertical transverse'sections through several bands and illustratejthe various types of edge reinforcements obtainable by this invention. g I

Figs. 6 and 7 are face and edge views respectively of a form on which endless elastic bandshaving edge reinforcements thereon; may be made.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentarysection of the for-infil lustrated in Fig. 6 and taken along linef 818 thereof. W a Fig. 9 is a face View of a'modified form onfwhi a single endless band may be made by depositi Fig. 10 is a fragmentary section of "thefform illustrated in Fig. 9, the section being made on line ill-4i! of that figure. t I

The endless elastic'rubber band I illustrated in Fig. 1 is of substantial widthfandhasfinteg'ral reinforced margins 2 which may bereir'iforced in variousways as illustrated in Figs. 2,3," l an 5. The band I is adapted to many uses; e. g., it

may be used to keep the hair in placeduringlthe wearers participation in strenuous exercises of games; it may beapplied over the head andunder; the chin to support weakened chinmuscles' and; thereby minimize what is'commonlyknown as double 'chin; or it may be usedpto protect the] hairwhen cold creams or cosmeticsalffapplied to the face.

In Fig. 2 there is illustrated the cross-section of a band made on the portion not the form'3' illustrated in Fig. The upper margin'of this band is reinforced by a thickened portion"! at the edge thereof and by a thickened "portionorridge 5 adjacent this edgeQ fI'hedowr margin of this band which has a cut edge 6, is reinforce'd I by a thickened portion 8. The thickened 'pob tions 5 and 8 result fromthe accumulation of" rubber, due mainly to surface tensiom in the grooves 23 20 in the form. The reinforcefment-l, howevenresults'from the accumulation of rubber, bysurface tension, adjacent the abrupt ShoulderZLon the form.

:In Fig.3 3 .there is illustrated- .the cross-section of abandmadeon portion'b of the form 3,the margins. of: the band adjacenththe cut edges 6 thereof being. reinforced by thickened portions 8 resulting fromrthe accumulation of rubber in the grooves 200i theform. 1.

1:In Fig. 4 there is shown thebross-section of aband as generated on portion c'of the: form 3.

The upper matginof this band adjacentits cut edge'fi istreinfo'rced by a-thickened ridge 8 while the lower edge of this band-is reinforced adjacent itsthin ortorn edge 9 by a thickened reinforca mentor ridge l0 which merges, into a tapering portionl'l; When rubbenis deposited on'the form;;3it will accumulate in the groove 25 to pro- Videthe'thickened; portion 10. i The rubber will alsoataccumulate. above. the ab produce ithetapered portion H a I 11;-Fig;.5, there is represented the cross-section of a band made on the'form l2 illustrated in Fig. i

9-; .The uppermargin oftthis band isreinforced by a thickened .section; 13 resulti g from .the ac.- 'cumulation of rubber, mainlynby surface tension, adjacent the shoulder 2.8.of the form. The lower margin of the band whichterminates in a thin.

or-torn-gedge i5 is reinforcedfbya thickened sections l l. resulting from the accumulation of rubber-in the. groove 29. 1 v

r The form .3.(illustrated-: in capable 1offmak'ing four endless'elastic bandsat one ti'majthe .bandsmade thereon having reinforced.- edges .:2 integral therewith. This form comprisesqan elongated flattened body portion l6, havingrouhdedside portions. ll to provide ascontinuous""surfacealong its horizontal axis. The. upper portion l8 'of the form is provided with any convenient type of supporting means l9 which are; adapted to suspend the form on any suitable .dipping or depositing mechanism (not shown).

-1The"body.. portion is of the f orm is divided intoIbandiigenerating sections a, b, and c, by

means ofv pairs of spaced peripheral grooves 213. -Whi1e this iform has fourbahd-generating sections it may be designed to make any desired 4 number of bands. The grooves 20 present no t 20 rupt edge 24 to Figs. 6, 7 and'8 is abrupt edges butare preferably smoothly rounded as shown 8. The upper fportionlfi of 'formlproject's' beyond the body portion It to provide abrupt shoulder} 21 terminating in'a sharp or'ab'ruptedge 22. There isprovided on spaced relation thereto. While the preferred manner of applying a rub ber coating to the form, is by -dipping the {form into a bath of latex, one or more times with a drying intervalbetween dips, it .-is;.to..be understood that the latex may be appliedto the form in any suitable manner such'as' by spraying, or: the like, and if preferred, the acid coagulationa coating of latex to a forni,"

method of applying may be used.

Latex or. rubber deposited on the form 'will be of substantially uniform-"thickness on the flat surfaces of the form but will accumulate, mainlydue to surface tensiongin the grooves 20, 2'3 and 25 andadjacent the abrupt shoulder 2| to generate thickened portions in the layer of rubber on the form. The section in Fig. 8 illustrates the manner in'whichrubber will accumulate in the rounded. grooves 20 toprovide thickened reinforcement portions lb -The cross sections of the three types .ofzresulting bands made on the form illustrated in' Fig; 6 are "clearly illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4;" 1 Afterthe rubber has been deposited on the forms,- and dried, thelayer of excess rubber above the abrupt shoulder 2| may be easily stripped away atthe sharp or abrupt edge 22, since that edge will generatea weakened section in the layerof rubber. By: "grasping 'the layer of rubber overlying thedrainingfin 26, the rubber below the abrupt edge 24 :maybe readil'y removed since aweakenedsectiondn the'layer will result at theedge 24. Thetrimmed'layer of rubber remaining on the body portion of the form is next removed from the form.=-.By suitable means, such as -cutting dies,'"the layer-of rubber, is severed along the li'nes 6 -6 to form the separate, "edge-reinforced bands illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4; i

' In Fig. 9 there is'shown a form 12 onwhich a singleelastic band maybemade,- said form having a different type ofedge reinforcement generating means. Thebody portion 30* of the form which'has an endless su1'f'ace 'a'long itshori zontal axis, is providedat itsupper endwith an:

abrupt shoulder. 28.." Rubber will accumulate at this shoulder to generate an' edge reinforcement such as shown at I3 in Fig. 5. The lower end of the body portion 30 is made with'the peripheral groove 29 therein which is. preferably..-rounded' into the main surface of the 'bodyportion atfits' upper side and terminates in theabrupt .orzsharp edge 3! at the bottom of the body portionh The lower end of the form carries a drainingfin 32 while its upperend is provided with. any suitable means 9, for supporting theform while dipping I and ethe-rubberthereon.

The form I2-:-illustrated in Fig. 9 may .be' coatedwith rubber in any suitable manner as by dipping or spraying. The sectionin Fig. 10 illustrates the manner in which rubber will accumulateadjacent. the abrupt shoulder 28 and in the'groove 29, of the form l2. After a layer of rubberof suitable thickness has-been applied to the form, anddried, the rubber may be separated at thegsharp or.

be vulcanized on the form after the rubber has been deposited thereon; or if preferred it may be vulcanized 01f the form. By repeatedly dipping and drying the deposited rubber on the form, bands of any suitable or desirable thickness may be obtained.

1 Whati I claim is:

l- A. form, comprising a body portion on which an endless layer of rubber may be deposited, one end .of said body portion terminating in an abrupt overhanging; shoulder, the other end thereof terminating in an abrupt-edge, said body portion having a peripheral reinforcement-generating groove therein, one side thereof merging into said abrupt edge.

2. The method of making endless edge-reinforced elastic bands, which comprises depositing, on a form,.a layer of rubber having alternate wide and narrow band portions of. substantially uniform 1 thickness separated by comparatively thick portions, drying said layer, and severing the narrow band portions, to produce bands havingthickened portions adjacent at least one of the margins thereof.

3. Themethod. of making endless edge-reinforcedbands'whic'h'comprises depositing, on a form, .a layer of rubber having spaced endless band. portions, adjacent'band portions being integ'rally' joined by a reinforced ring-like section, drying .said layer, of rubber, and severing said reinforced rlngelike section ,to produce endless bandshaving'at least one edge thereof rein- 4.j'r ne ethfod 'o'fforming endless bands with integral edge reinforcements thereon, which comprises providing a form having an endless band generating surface defined by marginal reinforcement-generating means, dipping said formin a bath of rubber to deposit a layer .of of rubber of substantially uniform thickness on said band-"generatingsurface andthicker ridges of rubber at said means, drying said layer, and separating the. layerto produce a band having integrally reinforced'margins.

I SIThe'rnethod'Of making endless rubber bands which comprises providing a form having spaced. pairs. of peripheral reinforcement-generating grooves defining band generating surfaces, dipping said form one or more times into a bath of rubber to deposit alayer of rubber thereon havmg spaced pairs of reinforcements integral there'- with and generated by the accumulation of rubbefin said grooves, drying the rubber layer, and separating the rubber layer between each pair of reinforcementsto .obtain.endless bands having reinforced edges integral with the bands.

6.;Themethod of -;making an endless, edgereinforced band. which comprises, depositing on a form, an integral layer of rubber including an endless band-like portion bounded by endless reinforcement sections, drying said layer, separating said layer adjacent said sections to produce an endless; band-having reinforced edges integral therewi h-n.

7. A form, on which rubber or the like may be deposited to make endless elastic bands with re inforced edges, v said form having two opposed flattened surfaces joined by two curvedsurfaces, said form having pairs of endless reinforcementgenerating grooves extending around the same, the grooves of each pair being'spaced from each other, said pairs of grooves being spaced from each other, the space between the grooves of each pair being less than the space between adjacent pairs of grooves, the surface of said grooves merging smoothly with the adjacent form surface, the area between adjacent pairs of grooves providingfan endless band generating section, whereby bands deposited on said area will be substantially flat in transverse section. A

8. A form on which rubber may be deposited to make endless elastic bands with reinforced edges, said form comprising a body portion having an overhanging shoulder at one end and an abrupt edge at the other end, the body portion having spaced reinforcement-generating grooves therein intermediate said shoulder and abrupt edge dividing said body portion into 'band gen crating sections.

9. A form comprising a body portion on which rubber may be deposited for making endless elastic bands, said body portion having an overhanging shoulder at one end and a'nabrupt edge at the other end, spaced reinforcement-generating means extending around said body portion intermediate said shoulder and abruptedge, said means dividing said x body portion into endless band-generating sections. j j A ABRAHAM N. srA nL. 

